The Search for Portable Ballet Barres, Part 2

Click here for  Part 1
EDIT: Here is Part 3, a review (two years later)

After much deliberation, I decided to order an 8-foot portable double barre from the Ballet Barre Store. I liked that the barres were advertised as lightweight and easy to put together.  I also was pleased to see they have a 30-day return policy -- I would just have to foot the bill for any shipping it needed to be returned.

Both barres are adjustable, and the higher barre can go up to a height of 45 inches.  Compared to similar style barres, the $135 price tag was fairly inexpensive. I did a bit of research on the company behind the barre, Vita Vibe.  They also have a 5-year warranty on their products for full replacement or repair, which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

After placing the order through their site using PayPal, I received the barre in about a week (but it was during the Christmas rush, so its possible your order would get to you sooner).  The package was long a slim and barely fit in my station wagon!  For those of you ordering longer barres, it might be wise to ship directly to your studio if possible.

New Years Goal Setting (aka: Resolutions!)

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday... mine is still going on as we are having Christmas with my Dad's family tomorrow.  It was great to have a few weeks off and I feel refreshed and ready to take on 2011!

I wanted to share my New Year's resolutions with all of you, even though some are personal.  I am definitely a goal-setter.  I like to write down goals, post them somewhere I can see because what's more important than setting goals is checking in on your goals.  If you set them and then forget.. there is no progress or reminders.  Its important to check in and remind yourself what you want, whether its daily, weekly or monthly.

1.  Eat healthier
2.  Grow my business / find a building
3.  Continue blogging
4.  Attend a dance conference
5.  Plan a wedding

New Music Mondays: Children's Jazz Playlist

A fun mix of pop hits, oldies and funk that will keep your elementary students moving and grooving in jazz class!

Pop Warm-Up & Cool-Down Songs
These songs have a moderate tempo to get things warmed up without hyping up the class.  Great for exercises like "point / flex", isolations and stretches.  Sometimes I like to use them to calm a class down if they are very hyper.


Kiss The Girl - Colbie Caillat
Beauty and the Beast - Jump5
How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You - Marvin Gaye
Do You Believe In Magic - Aly & AJ
You'll Be In My Heart - Drew Seeley

Happy Tracks
Great beat, these songs would be good for class or for recital!  They have a loud easy beat to hear and pick up on without being too fast.  I danced to Dinosaur Rock N Roll when I was in 2nd grade and we had a "real" dinosaur (one of the older students) moonwalk across the floor like she says in the lyrics!  It was my favorite dance!

Reach - S Club 7
Fun, Fun, Fun - Sugar Beats
Love Train - Sugar Beats
Little Miss Can't Be Wrong - Spin Doctors
Dinosaur Rock and Roll - Joanie Bartels

Sugar-High Songs
Great for jumping jacks, jump across the floor or to inject some energy if your class starts to nod off! 

Bouncin Off The Ceiling - A*Teens
Da Roof Is On Fire (Follow the Leader) - Soca Boys
Happy Boys & Happy Girls - Aqua
Tra La La - The Banana Splits

See previous playlists

Full Disclosure:  I am affiliated through iTunes, so for each purchase you make directly from my site, I receive a small (very small) percentage of the sale.  Thank you!

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The Search for Portable Ballet Barres

An example of a homemade metal ballet barre

EDIT: Here is Part 2 - and which barre I chose
EDIT: Here is Part 3, a review (two years later)

I have been on a hunt for cheap but sturdy ballet barres to replace the adjustable single barre we've had at our studio for 20+ years. It no longer "adjusts" and just sits at the lowest setting.

After hours of research on the web, I am deciding whether it's worth my time and effort to build my own, buy a kit or just bite the bullet and pay the shipping for a pre-assembled barre.  After the jump are my research findings - hopefully saving you some time!

If you have any suggestions about ballet barres - chime in with a comment!

Holiday Craft: Personalized Ornaments

I wanted to share a gift I made for my youngest students (ages 5-7) that was easy and fast to make...and it was cheap!

24 Shatter-proof Ornaments - $3.50
Permanent Paint Marker - $2.00
Spray Glitter - $2.99
Ribbon or pipe cleaners - $1.99
Cost per student: Around $0.40

If you have more students, the cost per student only goes down because the paint makers and glitter will be able to be used again.  I already had the silver paint marker, spray glitter and leftover pipe cleaners so my only cost was the ornaments - and my students were so excited to see their name on an ornament and moms were appreciative that they weren't getting a sugar-high before dinner.